1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the invention relate to a touch screen device, and more particularly, to a method and an apparatus for controlling a display area of a touch screen device to increase user convenience in a mobile device including a touch screen, and a computer-readable medium storing the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Digital convergence has led to an increasing number of functions being provided in digital devices, resulting in an increase in the physical space requirements of the digital devices. Therefore, in order to obtain a maximum space and realize an attractive design in digital devices, developers typically design the digital devices to have a display area, such as an LCD, on the entire front surface of the digital devices. Further, developers typically replace input devices (such as buttons, switches, and wheels) located on the front or side surface of conventional devices with other input devices, such as a touch screen, in the digital devices.
FIGS. 1A and 1B show display screens of a typical touch screen device when video is being reproduced and a menu is being manipulated by a user. Referring to FIG. 1A, if the user does not touch a touch screen, a display device displays content such as video or a still image on a full screen (110). If the user touches the touch screen to select a menu, a menu bar is displayed on part of the touch screen, and the content is displayed on the other part of the touch screen (120).
Alternatively, referring to FIG. 1B, before the user touches the touch screen, menu icons are displayed on the touch screen overlying the content so that the user can select a desired menu (130). The user touches one of the displayed menu icons in order to select a desired menu (140).
FIGS. 2A and 2B show display screens for explaining problems of a typical touch screen device. Referring to FIG. 2A, the user holds the touch screen device displaying content using a finger 220 (210). However, the touch screen device may erroneously interpret the touch of the finger 220 for holding as a touch for selecting a menu. Even if a menu is not inadvertently selected by the touch of the finger 220 for holding, the finger 220 still covers part of the touch screen, preventing the user from viewing the entire content. When the user attempts to select a from menu bar displayed in response to the touch of the finger 220, the finger 220 covers part of the menu bar, preventing the user from easily selecting a desired menu (230).
Referring to FIG. 2B, if the user holds the touch screen device displaying menu icons using a finger 260 (250), a problem similar to that described with regard to FIG. 2A may occur. That is, the user may have to touch part of the touch screen displaying the menu icons using the finger 260 in order to stably hold the touch screen device. However, the finger 260 covers part of the touch screen, preventing the user from manipulating some or all of the menu icons.
Further, it would be desirable if a touch screen device could enhance user convenience by adapting to characteristics of individual users, such as a size of a finger and a type of touch, such as light, medium, or heavy.